Child's Play
by egbkid
Summary: Max disapeared 10 months ago, and now Logan has a new friend...
1. Chapter 1: Misery

Disclaimer and author's note: Hi. I'm egbkid. It's been a while. A long while. This is actually a reposting of my first story ever posted here. I am re posting it because I am writing some new stories and just re testing the waters, so to speak. I have tweaked the story a bit, and reposted it. But it is mostly the same, minus all the annoying author's notes I wrote at the beginning of every chapter. This is about four years old, remember, and I have had lots of practice since then, so this might not be very good. I don't own anything but the plot and a few minor characters, so please do not sue me, I am a poor Canadian who enjoys writing a story now and then. Now, on with the show!  
-egbkid

"I will remember you,   
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life, pass you by..."  
Logan sat in front of his computer, tears in his eyes. Max had up and disappeared ten months ago, and he still missed her. He was trying once again to track her down. A friend in Los Angles had thought he saw her about a month after she went missing. But the friend owned a restaurant, and saw hundreds every day. It was a slim to none chance that it had been Max, and he had not seen her again.   
The doorbell rang, but Logan ignored it. It continued to ring and ring until finally he got annoyed with it and went to see whom it was. He pressed the buzzer by the door and talked.  
"Can I help you?"  
"Package, for Mr. Logan Cale?"  
"Can you leave it there; I'll be down to get it later."  
"I need a signature, sir."  
"Alright, come up." He hit the button that would allow the messenger to use the elevator to get to his floor.  
As the elevator arrived, Logan opened the door and went into the hallway. It was someone from Jam Pony, Logan didn't recognize the younger man, but seeing the logo brought a wave of fresh pain, and he had to hold back the tears.  
"Mr. Cale?" he asked, stepping out of the elevator.  
"Yes?"  
"I need you to sign here for your package."  
"Where is it?" He pulled a large envelope from his backpack, it had Logan's address on it, but it looked like it had been written in a hurry, and there was no return address. "Do you know who it is from?" Logan asked as he signed the paper.  
"Nope. It was dropped off a week ago, and we were told to deliver it today, not before or after. Sorry."  
"That's ok." Logan turned and went back inside, thinking. 'That would be a trick Max would pull. Is it from her?' He went to his desk and opened the envelope. Inside were a piece of paper and a picture of Max. It was a shot from the shoulders up, and it looked like she was in front of a building, but it could have been any building in any city in America. 'It could easily be this one.' He thought, feeling the pain of losing her come back. Logan looked at the piece of paper. On it were written two words:   
"I'm sorry"  
'Ten months and not a word, now this.' Logan thought, the tears rolling down his face. He looked for a postmark, but there was none. Absolutely no clue as to where she could be. 'Typical Max.'  
He threw the envelope in the garbage, and then took the picture with him to the kitchen to start dinner.   
He was just about to start eating, when he heard a knock on the door. The only way anyone could get up to his apartment was climb, unless it was security or someone else in the building, so he went to check it out. Logan went to the door and opened it, but there was no one there, only a large plastic storage tub with no lid. He looked inside, but all that he could see was blankets. 'Did someone forget their laundry?' he thought, until it started moving. Then he noticed there was a baby inside all those blankets...

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2: McKenzie Alexandria

Logan brought the storage bin inside his apartment, and then he carefully picked up the baby. The way it was dressed, he guessed it was a girl. She was wrapped in a faded pink blanket, and wore white sleepers with a pink bonnet. He looked inside the bin, moving the blankets for any clue as to where the sleeping baby could have come from. At the very bottom, Logan found a package of diapers, a change of clothes, and a piece of yellow paper with a short message typed on it.  
'McKenzie Alexandria. September 10, 2020. Please do not put her in a foster home or an orphanage. I know you are the best person to take care of her.'  
There was no clue where she could have come from, or why.   
"I can't even compare handwriting, to see if you belong to anyone I know, but you're five months old, anyway." Logan said to the baby. She was starting to stir, so he took her into his bedroom. He took off her bonnet and noticed what hair she had was sandy blond. She looked warm so he unwrapped her from the blanket, and then he noticed the smell.  
"Well, Miss McKenzie, I guess it's time to change your diaper, but where?" He quickly looked around the room, but didn't see anything but his nightstand. The only thing he could think of was his Exercise table, so he took her there, grabbing the diapers, a roll of toilet paper and her change of clothes on his way by.  
Logan set McKenzie on the table, and then sat on it himself. Then he stopped.  
"I don't know how to change a diaper. Well, it can't be that hard. Great, now you're talking to yourself!"  
He took the baby's pajamas off, and she slept on. 'Good' Logan thought. He looked at the diaper, seeing how it fit; to be sure he got the new one on right, and then pulled the tabs.  
"Gross!" The smell that rolled out of the diaper almost made Logan retch. He quickly folded it up, rolled it in toilet paper, and threw it towards a garbage can that sat in the corner, just making it in.  
'Thank God for basketball.' He thought, trying to clean the baby as best he could. He then put a new diaper on, it looked a little crooked, but it would have to do. The new clothes were another story. McKenzie started to wake up just as Logan tried to dress her, and she started squirming. He couldn't get the clothes on, so after ten minutes, he gave up and wrapped her in a towel that had been on the table.  
They got off the table, Logan trying to balance the baby and clean up the mess at the same time. She started to go back to sleep as Logan remembered his forgotten dinner, so he took her to his bedroom again and laid her in the centre on his large bed, hoping she wouldn't move that much should she wake up again, then he went in search of his dinner. Which he soon discovered sat on the table, stone cold.  
Looking at the clock, Logan discovered it had been over an hour since he had first found McKenzie. He picked up the plate and took it to the microwave, just as he was taking the now warmed dinner out; he heard a shriek from his bedroom. It continued like an old day air raid siren. The plate of food crashed to the floor as Logan turned and rushed down the hall to his bedroom. McKenzie was crying, loudly. He picked her up and tried to calm her, but it didn't work. She continued crying, he knew she had a clean diaper, maybe she was cold. So Logan wrapped her in the towel, and a blanket. Still she cried.  
"Now what?" Logan asked no one in particular. He tried to think of who could help. No one in the building, maybe Mrs. Moreno, but he didn't want to bother her. "Original Cindy!" He yelled.  
Making his way to the phone with McKenzie screaming all the way, he thought of Max's friend. He hadn't seen her in almost six months. She blamed him for Max's disappearance.  
"Hopefully she'll help." Logan said as he dialed the number...

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3: Original Cindy

The phone rang four times before anyone answered it.  
"Hey."  
"Original Cindy?"  
"Who is this?"  
"It's me, Logan."  
click  
"Well, I guess she's still mad at me", he said to McKenzie, who continued to cry, oblivious to the fact that her guardian was in a crises. Logan redialed the number, getting an answer on the second ring this time.  
"Logan, is that you?"  
"Yes, Cindy, please talk to me, I need..."  
"Original Cindy don't wanna talk to you, and what is that noise?"  
"Cindy, I need your help. Please."  
"What do you need my help for?"  
"Do you know anything about babies?"  
"Wha! Babies?"  
"It's hard to explain, but I have a baby here, and she's won't stop crying. You're the only person I can think of to help. Please…"  
"Aiight, I hate to hear a grown man beg. Did you change the little boo?"  
"Yes."  
"Is she to warm, to cold?"  
"I have her wrapped in a towel and blanket; I couldn't get her dressed after I changed her."  
"The little boo is probably to warm, take the towel off her, and leave the blanket." Logan did as he was told, but McKenzie still cried, and he felt ready to explode.  
"It didn't help."  
"I can hear that! Did ya feed her?"  
"Oh, no!"  
"What! You mean to tell me you didn't even think of feeding the child! Original Cindy can't believe this! How old is she?"  
"About five months."  
"Aiight, you got any bottles, she may be on solids, but Original Cindy doubts that."  
"No. No bottles. Where can I get one?"  
"Oh my... Mr. Well Connected don't even know where he can get a baby's bottle. Aren't you in a fix, and like I said, Original Cindy don't wanna talk to you."  
click  
"She hung up on me!" Logan said, not realizing he was almost yelling. "Bottles, think Logan. Matt! No, Bling! I'll call him; he can come over and pick one up on the way." He picked up the phone again and called Bling, after a short explanation, Bling agreed to bring his friend a baby's bottle. So Logan was stuck with a howling baby until Bling could get there.  
"Good thing the walls of this building are think, I don't think the neighbors could take much of this." The doorbell rang, and Logan went to answer it, thinking it was Bling. "That was quick." Logan pressed the buzzer to allow the elevator to be used, and went back to trying to soothe McKenzie. He heard the door to the penthouse open and yelled to his friend.  
"We're in here!"  
"Original Cindy can hear that!" Logan turned quickly, not expecting her.  
"Cindy! I thought you said..."  
"I said, Original Cindy don't wanna talk to you. This little boo is another matter. Men don't know nothing about babies, here's a bottle and I took the liberty of getting you some milk too, but you owe Cindy, that was expensive!"  
"I'll pay you back, but I already have milk."  
"Probably not enough." She took the crying baby from Logan's arms.  
"There's about half a gallon in my fridge."  
"He has half a gallon of milk! For a baby! Go warm that up, in a pot of hot water on the stove. Don't put it in the microwave. Come on little boo, shh." Cindy turned away from Logan, trying to soothe McKenzie.  
"What's her name, anyway? Go warm the milk!" He went to the kitchen and shouted back to Cindy.  
"Her name's McKenzie!"  
"No need to shout. We can hear you." Cindy said, coming into the kitchen too. "So, where'd you get her?"  
"Believe it or not, I found her in my doorway."  
"That's not right! Here." She passed Logan McKenzie, still crying, and took over warming the milk.  
"So, what were you going to do? I don't see anyone else here."  
"I called a friend, he's coming over."  
"Come here, McKenzie. Now, this is how you hold her to give her the bottle, see, that's all she wanted."  
She greedily gulped back the milk, staring contently up at Original Cindy. Cindy looked into the child's eyes, and quickly popped the bottle from McKenzie's mouth. She immediately started crying again, but Cindy passed her to a surprised Logan along with the bottle just as the doorbell rang again...  
"That's probably Bling."  
"You feed her, I gotta go."  
"Thank you for the help, but why are you leaving so quickly?"  
"You don't know anything, do you? Bye!" She disappeared out the door mumbling something like "Those eyes..."

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4: Bling

"So what are you going to do?" Bling asked a few hours later, McKenzie was finally fed, changed, dressed and sleeping in the guest room. They were preparing another meal after cleaning up the one Logan put on the floor.  
"Well, I can't send her to an orphanage, but I should be able to arrange for someone to adopt her."   
"But I thought the note asked you not to give her away, she's such a sweet baby."  
"I can't have a child here. I don't know anything about babies! I didn't even baby-sit when I was a teenager." Logan thumped a tomato he was going to chop on the table for emphasis, squishing it. "Oops. So much for the salad, that was the last tomato."  
"Logan, most new fathers don't know anything about babies. In fact, I know some people who were even afraid to pick up their child when they were first born."  
"That's silly. I know babies aren't that fragile. But still, I can't have a child."  
"Why not?" Bling asked, moving into the dining room. "What's wrong with you having a child?"  
"What will my family think, for starters."  
"Who cares what they think. If Max were here, she'd kick your butt for even thinking that."  
"But..."  
"Logan. Why don't you give her a couple of days? See how it works out. Maybe McKenzie's mother will come back."  
"Maybe..." he mumbled, taking a bite of his dinner. Bling looked at the clock, it was almost nine.  
"Well I hate to eat and run, but I should be going. Give it a couple of days. You have lots of people to help you; we're just a phone call away."  
"Alright. A couple of days." After Bling left, Logan cleaned up the dishes. He went to check on McKenzie, who was still sleeping. Looking at the clock, he realized it was after ten, and he suddenly felt really tired.   
Logan made sure McKenzie was alright once again, and then went to bed.

Logan was woken suddenly. McKenzie was crying! He grabbed his glasses and got out of bed as quickly as he could. Glancing at his alarm clock, he noticed it was 2 am. He went down the hall to the guest room and got the baby off the bed, then took her to the kitchen for a bottle. Remembering Original Cindy's words, Logan didn't microwave it, but warmed it in a pot on the stove. Once she got the milk into her mouth, McKenzie calmed down. She closed her eyes and appeared to go back to sleep, but suddenly they opened and she looked directly at Logan.  
Then he saw what Original Cindy had seen...

To Be Continued...


	5. Chapter 5: Five Years Later

"I don't want to go to bed, Daddy, I wanna play with the fireflies."   
"No, baby, it's time to sleep. Maybe tomorrow night, before we go back to the city."  
"But..." McKenzie's protests were futile, as she was already falling asleep. Logan tucked her in and went into the main room of his uncle's cabin. He started a fire and sat in front of it, thinking. McKenzie didn't know the true reason behind their journey to the cabin. It had been almost exactly five years to the day, of when she arrived in his doorway. Remembering the first few days caused Logan to laugh, but he had good friends then and now who helped him through.  
Logan remembered her first night in his apartment. He had been feeding McKenzie when he looked into her eyes "Max…" he whispered, looking into the fire. He had seen Max in those baby eyes. It had been almost six years since he had last seen her. Four months after it had happened.   
She had come to his apartment, having a bad bout of seizures and nothing was helping. It took two days for her to get better, for her fever to break and her seizures to calm down, letting the Trytrophen work. Finally when she was almost better, she realized she was in heat again. Trying to get away, Max had another bad seizure. Logan had been out, when he came home and found Max on the floor; he helped her back to bed. He sat by her for what seemed like an eternity, and when she woke up, that's when it happened.  
Both realized their mistake, but surprisingly it didn't change their relationship. They were still friends and coworkers in his fight for the world. Then she just disappeared four months later. No trace. He had never even thought until that night…  
He had brought McKenzie to the cabin before, but this time, he wanted to tell her about her mother. Max. Logan had not heard a word from her since a small letter about an hour before McKenzie had arrived. Why she had named her daughter McKenzie Alexandria, he didn't know, and why Max had felt she would be safe with Logan… He was always afraid that someday Lydecker would find out about McKenzie, and try to take her. He didn't want to have her live a life on the run, and so far, there had been no trouble.  
Logan went into his bedroom and opened his suitcase. He pulled out the only picture of Max he had. Standing in front of an unknown building, in an unknown city with a fake smile on her face. He had never told McKenzie who the person in the picture was, and she had never asked. It just sat on his nightstand in a gold frame, where he could see it every morning and night.  
"Where are you Max?" he whispered, tears forming in his eyes. He heard McKenzie roll over and mumble in her sleep from the next room. Ever since she had come into his life, Logan had found he could hear every little noise or movement she made. He mentioned this to Bling once, who said it was all part of being a parent. He took the picture into her room and just sat, staring at her. McKenzie had Max's eyes, but her hair was like Logan's. She reminded him a lot of his mother, but she had Max's temper and love for life. So far, she had shown no sign of Manticore genes, although she did seem to be really agile and coordinated compared to other children her age. The barcode that was etched into Max's genetic code had not come out in McKenzie, though Logan still checked every morning when he braided the five-year-old's hair.  
She had never asked about her Mommy. All her friends had Mommies; in fact they were the only father daughter combo in her play group. Because of this, Logan rarely talked to the other children's parents. He had never seen a father at the park, and the other mothers were always too involved with catching up on the gossip to pay any attention to him. He didn't care. He usually just sat with his laptop, watching the children play and catching up on work. McKenzie didn't know her Daddy was Eyes Only. She had only seen his 'show' on the television once or twice, but she did not recognize his eyes. Logan was thankful for that, it was too much for her to handle at the moment, and he didn't want her to slip about it someday and end up in trouble.  
Logan sat and watched McKenzie sleep, thinking of Max, and oblivious of the passing time. He finally fell asleep where he sat, Max's picture in his hands and tears running down his cheeks.

The next morning, Logan woke suddenly. He was still sitting in McKenzie's room, and aching. He glanced at the bed, but McKenzie was not there!  
"McKenzie, Where are you?" When there was no answer, he left the room and started around the cabin.  
"McKenzie, are you in the bathroom, honey?" He checked every room, but she was not there. When he got to the main room, he noticed the door was open. Logan started panicking. If she had gone into the woods, she could have easily gotten lost. Going out the door, Logan quickly glanced around the yard and towards the lake. She was always told to stay away from the lake, but she had really wanted to play with the fireflies she had seen down there last night. He started towards the lake, shouting "McKenzie! Where are you baby!"  
"Daddy?" Logan quickly turned towards the cabin, where he heard McKenzie's voice, but he didn't see her.  
"McKenzie?" Then he looked up. There she was, perched on the edge of the porch roof. Sitting and swinging her legs as if it were an everyday occurrence.  
"What's wrong, Daddy?"  
"McKenzie Alexandria Cale, get off that roof! How did you get up there?"  
"I climbed." He watched as she stood up and walked to the corner, then swung down onto one of the poles holding it up, then slid down it like a firefighter would.  
"Please don't do that again, you really scared me. Why did you go up there?"  
"To think. Who is this, Daddy?" She held up a picture. It was the one of Max. "You had it in your hand when I woke up, she's pretty, but who is she?"  
"Let's go inside, baby, and I'll tell you."  
Logan told McKenzie about Max, but he decided not to tell her about how she came to live with him. Rather, he told McKenzie her mommy had to go away, and nobody knew when she would be back. She wasn't too worried about that, but she thought her mommy was really pretty. She wanted to keep the picture, so Logan decided to give it to her. Instead of waiting to go back into Seattle the next day, they decided to go home that day. Logan didn't want McKenzie climbing any more roofs.

Later on that night, after Logan put McKenzie to bed, he went to the window. The one Max broke through when they first met. It was raining again, and Logan felt miserable. Hopefully this morning's incident didn't turn into a habit like Max's.  
'She never did get me on top of the Space Needle.' Logan thought. He stared out the window for what seemed like an eternity, just thinking. After a while, it felt like someone was watching him. He turned around, but didn't see anyone, so he went to check on McKenzie, she was still asleep. Going back to the window, Logan still had the creepy feeling that he was being watched. He tried to shake it off, but it wasn't working. He saw Max's face in the rain droplets running down the window. It was like she was standing behind him, looking out the window too. He quickly turned around, hoping to find Max, but there was no one. The creepy feeling was still there, so Logan checked out the entire apartment, made sure all the windows and the door was locked, then he went to bed. But he still couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched...

To Be Continued...


	6. Chapter 6: The Park

"Come on McKenzie, it's time to go to the park." Logan searched for his jacket and finally found it, and still McKenzie had not come out of her room. "McKenzie?" Hoping she was not on the roof again, he went to her room. She sat on her bed, the picture of Max on her lap, looking intently at it.  
"Is something wrong, baby?"  
"Is this really my mommy?"  
"Yes. Why?"  
"I don't look like her. Jessie looks like her mommy. Corey looks like his mommy."  
"Yes, but Michelle and Michael look more like their daddy."  
"But..."  
"It's okay. Do you know that your eyes look like your mommy's? And your hair is like my mommy's and like mine, but other than my hair, I don't look like either my mommy or my daddy."  
"My eyes are like my mommy's?"  
"Yes, they remind me of her every time I see you."  
"Wow. Can we take the picture with us to the park? I wanna show everybody my mommy."  
"Well, I suppose we could, but we have to be very careful that we don't lose it, because it's the only one we have. Now, did you find your jacket? This place is a mess; we'll have to clean when we get home."  
"Are we driving?"  
Logan looked at his watch, it was quarter to ten, and they were supposed to be at the park by ten, but it took half an hour if they didn't drive.  
"It looks like we have to, we'll be late if we don't, but I'll tell you what, I'll call Bling and get him to meet us at the park, he can take the car home, so we can enjoy the day."  
"Ok! I'll find my coat, call Bling!" She started scrambling around the room, throwing clothes and toys everywhere, Logan chuckled and left the room with Max's picture so they wouldn't forget it. After talking to Bling, they took the elevator down to the street and drove to the park. All of McKenzie's friends were there, playing in the sandbox, and all their mothers were sitting on the benches, tongues wagging. Logan shook his head and waited for Bling, while doing some research.  
The batteries were starting to die on his computer when Logan saw McKenzie running towards him. She was dragging her coat behind her and threw it at him as she ran by. Logan quickly turned to see who she was running to; it was just Bling coming to pick up the car. He picked her up and walked to Logan, McKenzie talking non-stop all the way.  
"What is this she is talking about? Her mommy?"  
"Oh, this. Logan showed Bling the picture."  
"See Bling, this is my mommy, isn't she pretty?"  
"Yes she is sweetie. Why don't you go play with the others why I talk to your daddy for a bit, ok?"  
"'Kay, bye!" She ran back to the sandbox, but left the picture with Logan, who sat staring at it.  
"Logan, what did you tell her about Max?"  
"Not much. I just showed her the picture, she asked a few questions about looking like her this morning, but other than that, she hasn't had much interest except for the fact that she's pretty. And she hasn't called her mommy, just 'my mommy'."  
Bling lay down on the grass beside Logan "Beautiful day. Sun's actually shining."  
"Isn't the grass wet?" Logan asked, looking down at his friend.  
"Nope. And even if it was, I don't care. Don't you have some work to do?" he asked, glancing at the laptop.  
"Nah, battery just died. Nothing much to do but listen to the gossip."  
"You should talk to them," Bling said, sitting up and looking in the direction of the other children's mothers. "Whenever I bring McKenzie, they have a lot to say, especially about you."  
"Me? What would they have to say about me?"  
"They think you're strong to raise a child on your own. They say it was difficult before the Pulse for single parents, and now it's even harder. Not many single dads out there."  
"I suppose they don't know I'm loaded. They probably think I work twenty hours a day just to keep McKenzie in clothes."  
"Maybe. Remember Mrs. Vernsa?"  
"Daniel's mom?"  
"Yup. She even told me she thought you were cute. They all think you're to quiet, and most of them think McKenzie is one of the prettiest little girls they've seen."  
"Thanks to Max and Manticore for that. Even though she has her own look, it is still one close to perfection."  
"True." Bling looked over at the group of children. McKenzie was one of three girls and five boys. She sat in the corner of the sandbox with one of the boys, a younger one named Michael. Logan knew he and his twin sister Michelle were 'related' to McKenzie, but he didn't know by whom. He could tell because Michelle had the telltale partial barcode on the back of her neck. Her mother tried to cover it up with makeup and by keeping her hair long, but one day Logan caught it when she swept her hair out of the way. Logan didn't know if it was her mother that was Manticore-made, but he didn't bet on it, she didn't seem cautious enough, and he saw a man peeking around one day that sort of looked like them, but Logan didn't recognize him. He didn't say anything, and the children didn't know that their parents considered themselves siblings. As far as he knew, the twins' mother didn't know McKenzie was just like her two children.  
"She's going to break a lot of hearts when she's older. Starting with that one right there, I bet." Bling said, standing up. "I gotta go; I have a three o clock appointment."  
"Thanks for stopping by, here are the keys; you can leave them in the mailbox, as usual."  
"No problem. See you later."  
"Later." Logan opened his laptop again, hoping the battery had recharged itself a bit. No such luck, so he sat and listened to the ladies talking, pretending to be absorbed in something on his monitor. Bling was right; they did have a lot of interesting things to say. And some of it was about him.   
Once again, he got the feeling that he was being watched. He looked around the park, but the ladies were watching the children. The only other people in the park were a couple with a child about eight, playing over by the swings. He closed his computer and glanced at his watch. Eleven thirty. If they left now, they could stop for lunch on the way home. Usually he packed a lunch, but they were so disorganized when they left that he forgot.  
"McKenzie, come on, we have to go."  
"Where's Bling?" she asked, running over.  
"He had to go."  
"Can I show everyone my picture of my mommy?"  
"I suppose, but you better do it quickly, and then we'll get lunch on the way home." He gave her the picture of Max and McKenzie ran off to show the other children. Logan put his laptop in his book bag that he carried with him. Also in it was a complete change of clothing for McKenzie, a few toys and a sweet or two for if she was good and deserved a treat. 'You can tell I'm somebody's daddy.' He thought, zipping up the book bag. McKenzie was now over showing her picture off to the other children's mothers. Logan went over to McKenzie, and she was talking non-stop. The mothers were smiling at her; Logan could tell they were thinking something along the lines of 'how sweet'.  
"McKenzie, baby, it's time to go. It's time for lunch."  
"Ok. This is my daddy." She introduced.  
'So she's noticed I don't talk to the other parents.' Logan thought.  
"Logan Cale, it's nice to meet you." He said, shaking hands with some of them. "I'm sorry we can't talk, but I have some work to do this afternoon. Come on McKenzie. You can talk about mommy another time."  
McKenzie finally followed Logan from the park, carrying the picture with her.   
"Where are we going for lunch, daddy?"  
"How about we go to the restaurant down by the beach?"  
"Ok!" She ran ahead along the near bare sidewalks, excited about eating in her favorite restaurant. Logan didn't spoil her by going all the time or giving into her every whim, but he tried to keep her happy, and it wasn't hard.  
"McKenzie, slow down." He called ahead when she got a bit too far away. She stopped suddenly, Logan thought because he yelled, but then she turned and ran back to him.  
"Daddy! I just saw my mommy!"

To Be Continued...


	7. Chapter 7: Are You Sure?

Logan nearly fainted when he heard McKenzie's announcement.  
"Where, baby, where did you see your mommy?"  
"In that ally. Up ahead."  
Logan sped to where McKenzie had been and checked it out, but of course there was no one there. If Max had been there, she would have left the second McKenzie saw her.  
"Daddy, she's gone. Where did my mommy go, daddy?" Logan just realized that he had left McKenzie behind, and that she was now beside him.  
"Are you sure you saw her. Are you sure it was her?"  
"Yes, Daddy. Where did she go?"  
"I don't know. Are you absolutely sure it was her?"  
"YES! Why don't you believe me? I saw my mommy!"  
"Alright, I believe you. But we have to go home now."  
"What about lunch?"  
"I think this might be more exciting. Your mommy might be here, and she might come see us. What if we are not home?"  
"Right! Let's go home! Maybe my mommy will be there. Hey, where's my picture? I dropped it when I saw my mommy. Now it's gone!"  
They looked everywhere for the picture, but couldn't find it. McKenzie was so upset that she didn't want to go home. Logan ended up carrying her. It had been a long morning for her, and she was asleep by the time they get to the penthouse. He put her to bed and went to plug in his laptop to recharge. As Logan went to the kitchen to get something to eat, a lot was going through his head.  
'What are you doing, Max?' He was surprised that McKenzie had seen her, if it had been her. The Max he knew never would have been caught, especially not by a five year old. But then, McKenzie was not just any five year old, she was Max's daughter. He was really upset that they had lost the picture. He figured Max probably took it somehow, but why, he didn't know. It was just another part of the mystery. Like why Max had left Seattle in the first place. She had lots of friends that would have helped her.  
"Why, Max. Why?"  
"You wanna know why, Logan? I'll tell you why."

To Be Continued...


	8. Chapter 8: Revisited

Logan turned suddenly at the voice behind him. She stood there staring at him, outside the door to McKenzie's room.  
"Original Cindy, what are you doing here?"  
"Max sent me. To return this." She tossed the picture to Logan, who caught it and looked at it.   
"You know where Max is?"  
"Yeah. The same place she has been for the last three days. And she don't want you to know."  
"Then why is she here. Do you know why she left?"  
"Yeah. She told me not to tell you. But she did say she wants to talk to you, 'bout the little boo. Said she'll meet you hare in two days, and don't bring the boo." Cindy walked over to Logan and gave him a slip of paper with an address on it. He looked at it and recognized the address.  
"Our old safe house. I haven't used it in years. Is she sure it's still safe?"  
"You think she'd tell you to go there if she didn't think so?"  
"Yeah, I guess."  
"Gotta go. The little boo, turned out aiight."  
"Thanks. Tell Max I miss her. And McKenzie really wants to see her."  
"Don't bring her to the meeting place. Leave her with someone. Goodbye."  
"Bye." Logan looked at the picture and piece of paper. He felt ready to explode. Why did Max do this to him? He took the picture into McKenzie's room and set it on her nightstand, so she would see it as soon as she woke up. The only thing Logan could think of doing was work, so he went to his computer room, but he ended up just sitting there, thinking. How could he get through two days until seeing Max? How would he be able to keep it a secret from McKenzie? It would be very hard, especially now that she had seen Max in that ally.  
"Daddy?" Logan turned and saw McKenzie standing at the door to his office, leaning on the doorframe. 'The same way Max did.' He thought.  
"What's wrong, baby?"  
"I had a bad dream."  
"Come here. Tell me about it." He pulled McKenzie onto his lap, hugging her.  
"I dreamed that you and my mommy were being taken away from me. I couldn't reach you; you were always to far away. I was all alone."  
"I know baby. Dreams like that can be scary."  
"I thought I heard you talking to someone. Was someone here?"  
"An old friend. I haven't seen her in a long time, since you were a baby."  
"Why not?"  
"Well, just after your mommy went away, we fought about it. Your mommy was her best friend, and she thought it was my fault that your mommy had to go away. I've only seen her once since we fought, and that was to help me with you, because I couldn't figure out why you were crying."  
"Why was I crying?"  
"You were hungry! I didn't know anything about babies, but Original Cindy figured that you wanted some milk, and she showed me how to feed you."  
"Original Cindy? That's a funny name."  
"I think it's a nickname, like when Rory Sung calls you 'Mac'."  
"Oh. Guess what." McKenzie said, giggling.  
"What?"  
"I'm hungry! We didn't have lunch!"  
"No, we didn't! Let's go get some lunch!" Although Logan was happy outside, preparing lunch and laughing in the kitchen with McKenzie, he was falling apart inside. How was he going to get through the two days until he could see Max?"

To be continued...


	9. Chapter 9: The Truth

'I close my eyes,  
And I can see,  
the day we met  
just one moment and I knew  
you're my best friend  
Do anything for you.'

Logan went down the ally, looking for any sign of Max. Of course he knew she wouldn't let him see her.  
It was nine o clock in the morning. Original Cindy had not said what time Max wanted to meet him, so after having McKenzie fed and dropping her off at Bling's for the day, Logan went to the safe house. He brought his laptop along for company because he knew she would probably let him sweat it out until lunchtime.  
Inside he sat and waited. Trying to work, but accomplishing nothing. His thoughts kept turning to Max. What would she be like after six years? Would she have any of her 'siblings' with her? Logan even almost felt scared that she would try to take McKenzie away from him. He heard something outside the door, and watched as the doorknob turned.  
"Max." he whispered.  
"Good morning, Logan." She said, as if they had last seen each other yesterday.  
"Max. Sit." Logan offered the chair that was opposite from where he was sitting. She took the offer, looking him up and down. That was the only sign of concern for his welfare.  
"It's been to long, Max." She looked a little more mature, but she hadn't seemed to age.  
"Yes, it has. How have you been?"  
"Good."  
"That's good."  
"Let's forget the civilities, Max, and go strait to why we're here. Why, Max?"  
"Why? Why? Why what? Why I left? Why I dropped McKenzie on your doorstep? Or why I'm back?"  
"All of it. Tell me. It's been six years, no word from you but a small slip of paper saying 'I'm sorry'. You had nothing to be sorry about."  
"Yes I did." Max got up and started pacing. "I'll tell you everything. Just don't interrupt."  
"Alright."  
"When I found out I was pregnant, I was scared. I had never been so scared in my life, and never since. You don't know this, but Zack had come back about a week before I found out. Trying to convince me to leave Seattle again. Of course, I told him to shove it, and he left. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought about what he said. I never even thought about what you would think, I just packed up and left. I went to LA, and then traveled further south once I contacted Jace. I was with her and baby Max when McKenzie was born. I gave her the name Jace took as a last name. And Alexandria was a name I picked up in LA. As good as life was back there, I knew I couldn't stay. The neighbors didn't like me. So I left again. I traveled back up here, planning on telling you about McKenzie and staying put. I had the note delivered, and I was going to come to your door, but I guess I chickened out. I thought 'What am I doing with a baby?' and just left her there. I've been living in Portland ever since, visiting every year, but never letting you see me. Finally I came to my senses, quit my job and moved back here about a week ago. I hooked up with Original Cindy. She told me she hadn't seen or talked to you since I left McKenzie, but Cindy knew she was mine. From her eyes, she said."  
"It's true. McKenzie does have your eyes."  
"I became scared when McKenzie saw me two days ago, in the ally, and almost left again. But I knew I had to see you and McKenzie. Try to make up for what I did."  
"I just told her about you about a week ago. When we were up at the cabin. I found her on the roof, of all places. She really wishes she could meet you, but I never told her I was coming to meet you today."  
"Where is she now?" Max asked, sitting down again.  
"With Bling. Today was her park day; we go a couple days a week, to play with a bunch of other children. He sometimes takes her when I'm busy."  
"I saw you there one day, about a year ago. Zane's children are a part of the group."  
"I knew they were Manticore children, but I didn't know whose. McKenzie has become close to Michael."  
"Can we go see her?"  
"You want her to know you're here?"  
"Yes. It's time McKenzie met her mommy."  
"Alright, let's go."  
Logan led Max to where he had parked his car, and they drove to the playground in silence. They immediately saw McKenzie playing in the sandbox with Michael. Bling was sitting on a bench with the mothers, talking. As they approached, he excused himself and got up to join them.  
"Max. It's been a long time. It's nice to see you again."  
"You too, Bling." She gave him a hug as Logan left them to talk. He approached McKenzie in the sandbox.  
"McKenzie, baby, can you come here for a minute?"  
"Daddy!" She got up and ran to Logan, giving him a huge hug. "I missed you!"  
"I was only gone for a few hours!"  
"I still missed you!"  
"You always say that. I want you to meet someone, come with me."  
"OK." She followed Logan towards where Max and Bling sat on a bench, suddenly stopping when they were about halfway there. "Daddy?"  
"What is it, McKenzie?"  
"Is that my mommy with Bling?"  
"Yes, baby, it is." McKenzie took off running. The opposite way.  
"McKenzie!" Logan shouted, turning to go after her, but she had already disappeared into the surrounding trees.

To Be Continued...


	10. Chapter 10: The Search

Bling and Max stood up and ran over to Logan.  
"Where'd she go?" Max asked.  
"I don't know. She ran so fast, I didn't even see her. She just disappeared!"  
"She couldn't have gotten that far, she's five years old!"  
"Max! She's very smart and independent. She could easily find her way around Seattle, and hide from us."  
"He's right, Max." Bling agreed with Logan. "Now, how are we going to find McKenzie?"  
"Logan, you get in the car and go around the park to where the woods end, Bling and I'll search the woods, hopefully we can flush her out."  
"Good idea." Logan went back to the car, thinking of how Max sounded a lot like a solder when she told them what to do. He just hoped her plan worked. He drove to the other side of the park, but there was no sign of McKenzie. He didn't think she would react like this, she seemed so eager to meet Max, but one thing he learned being a parent was that children could be unpredictable. About ten minutes later, Max and Bling walked out of the woods at different spots. Neither had seen McKenzie anywhere. The last place they wanted to go to was the police, so they searched around the park, yelling for her. When it started getting dark, they met back at the car. It had started raining about an hour before, and they were all soaked.  
"Great, just great! She's out there in the cold, dark rain, and it's all my fault!" Logan yelled, slamming his fists onto the steering wheel.  
"If it's anybody's fault, it's mine. I shouldn't have come back. It's obvious you and McKenzie have a special relationship, and I just screwed it up."  
"Its nobodies fault! McKenzie must have had a reason to run away when she saw you, Max. Why don't we go home and warm up, then we can search again." Everybody agreed with Bling, so Logan started the car and drove to his apartment. As they approached the building, Logan noticed a light on in the penthouse. He could have sworn he had turned all the lights off that morning, but he had been so nervous, it was impossible to tell.  
They went up the elevator in silence, each in their own thoughts. While Max showered and got into some borrowed dry clothes, Logan made coffee. Some of McKenzie's toys were scattered around the floor, so Bling started to pick them up. Seeing this, Logan almost started crying .The only thing he could think of to do was cook, so by the time Max was out of the shower, he had a fair sized meal underway. She stayed across the room from Logan, staring out the window, until Bling went to shower and change. Then Max approached Logan.  
"I'm really sorry, Logan."  
"For what?" he asked, keeping his back to her.  
"For making McKenzie run away."  
"Like Bling said, it was neither of our fault. All children run away at least once. I remember I did when I was twelve. And we both know you did."  
"But that's different! I was nine! You were twelve! McKenzie is only five, and the world is a lot different than it was when we were kids!"  
"Don't you think I know that?" Logan yelled, finally turning to look at her. "She's the most family I've had in a long time! If I lose her..." He couldn't take it anymore; Logan broke down and started crying. Max didn't know what to do. She had never seen Logan, or any man, cry before, and she certainly didn't do it much herself. Logan wasn't used to crying, either, so he escaped into his computer room.  
She didn't know what to do, so Max checked on the dinner Logan had been cooking. She was just turning off the oven when she heard a loud cry from the computer room. Afraid for Logan, she quickly ran to the room.  
There she saw McKenzie on her father's lap, trying to make him stop crying.  
"Daddy, don't cry." she said, hugging him.  
"McKenzie, baby, where have you been?"  
"I ran to find my picture of my mommy to show her, and then I remembered I left it here. But when I went back to see you, you were gone, so I came home. You told me if we got lost, to come home, remember?"  
By then Logan was half crying, half laughing. He remembered telling McKenzie this. Just about everywhere they went together was within walking distance from the penthouse, and she knew how to get back. So they would always know where to find each other if they got separated, he told her it.  
"How did you get by the police?"  
"That was easy. When you weren't here, I got scared, so I came in here and hid under your desk. I must've gone to sleep. It's a long walk from the park, daddy." From her spot at the door, Max watched the conversation. They were completely oblivious to her presence until Bling walked up, surprised at the commotion. McKenzie crawled off Logan, who turned to face Max and Bling.  
"McKenzie, I'd like you to meet your mommy." She crawled under the desk and pulled out her picture, and then she went to Max and hugged her. Max didn't know what to do, so she just stood there. She had never really been hugged by a child before, especially not her own.  
"Mommy. This is my picture of you." McKenzie held it up. Max softened; she squatted down to McKenzie's level and looked at the picture.  
"That's not a really good picture of me." She said, "We'll have to get a better one done."  
"You're not going to go away again, are you, mommy? Please don't!" McKenzie started crying. Max gathered her in a hug.  
"Never. I wouldn't leave you for the world."

The End

Music: words at the beginning of part one "I Will Remember You" by Sarah Mclachlan  
words at beginning of part nine from "Pikachu's Goodbye" Pokemon soundtrack


End file.
